Archives for January 2017

The path to publication lies ahead, and right now it looks a little daunting. I can’t see goblins lying in wait (which is good) but the sheer length of the path combined with the amount of ground I need to cover does look a little daunting. And that is probably why my journey has been, well, delayed. To recap: I’ve decided that this year is the year I’m going to self-publish my first novels, in this case a trilogy. I have a cover artist contracted to start work in mid-May, and between now and then there are a number of things I need to get done. Primarily this is undertaking final revisions on the three manuscripts and then building a draft paperback document so that I can let the cover artist know how many pages will be in the book. This is important because [Read more…]

The effect of technology on the publishing industry means that for novelists there are many more avenues open to them than the traditional publishing route. Self-publishing and indie publishing have come a long way in recent years in terms of technology, availability, and cost. Many authors have proven these newer routes into publication are not just viable, but can still bring an author success (by whatever terms they define it). But when do you decide to to choose these new independent options? And why do you decide to take them? There’s no simple answer to this, unfortunately: what’s a great decision for one writer may be an awful one for another. Traditional vs independent publishing options are not necessarily mutually exclusive; numerous authors combine both (“hybrid” authors) or may switch from one to the other, or even have one book/series published traditionally and another self-published. And as 2017 begins, I have made my own decision for the moment (subject to change on a whim, etc, etc). 2017 will see a trilogy of Fantasy novels I have written making their way towards indie publication.

I made my decision with snail-like haste, reading and researching and listening to what other authors say about the various options. As 2016 came to a close I decided that independently publishing my work was the right choice (at the moment) for me. I contacted a cover artist in the run-up to Christmas about the possiblity of realising an idea I had for a trilogy I finished a while back, and found he was keen on the concept and had some time available in May.

So, as 2017 begins I’m taking my first steps on the path to publication. It’s time to dust off my three manuscripts, undertake final revisions, and get everything ship-shape for mid-May when the cover artist goes to work.

Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Children of Time is an outstanding Science Fiction novel. For me it harks back to the early days of Sci-Fi: it has big ideas, a grand scale, and it has that feel of boundlessness. More than that, though, Children of Time is a brilliant story with great characters, a fantastic plot, all taking place within a ddystopian future that is eminently believable.

Tchaikovsky tackles big themes in the novel, but never loses sight of the characters and story. Not only that, but it’s bold: Tchaikovsky introduces non-human species to the tale and one thread of the narrative is told entirely from their point of view as a genetically-tailored virus accelerates their evolution. Some of it is downright frightening, and for anyone with a fear of spiders I’d suggest this may not be comfortable bedtime reading. I don’t suffer from arachnophobia, but the author still left me uncomfortable with chapters told from the point of view of giant sentient spiders. And that, I think, is a mark of just how good Tchaikovsky is: bringing sympathy to non-human characters and their struggle for survival when their ancestors are one of humanity’s most common phobias.

There is so much to recommend this book, but if you’re a fan of big, bold Science Fiction then this is likely to be right up your street.